Moondance
by random-randomize
Summary: AU 'The Calling' is near. Scenes moving and the stage is ready, a symphony will be played. And in the middle of it all, Minako get the floor and dance.
1. Hello, Hotaru

**Rating**: PG/PG-13  
**Main Cast**: Minako, Hotaru, Rei, Setsuna  
**Summary**: (AU) 'The Calling' is near. Scenes moving and the stage is ready, a symphony will be played. And in the middle of it all, Minako get the floor and dance.  
**Disclaimer**: This story is based on situations and characters created and owned by Takeuchi Naoko, and various publishers.

**Author Notes**: Plot bunny attack!!!! And I'm allergic to fur too....

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When Rei visited Setsuna's house, or, outer senshi's house; Minako always tagged along with her. Rei was unsure why she did that. For various and numerous unexplainable reasons, Minako kept a leash on her that Rei kept submitted to the blonds' will.

Haruka always tease Rei about it, not that the miko bothered (in the face) by that.

They followed the same routine for every single visit.

Minako would met her at the front of Hikawa Jinja, sharing their casual (daily) banter, and they sped up on Minako's motorbike. How Minako got that, Rei did not really want to know.

Usually they spent the day at outer senshi's house by doing whatever the family did. If given chance, Minako would spend her day with relaxing (longing around) at Outer's veranda.

To most onlookers, Minako would seemed to enjoy the sun too much, with her calm expression and all. The thing that the senshi knew was, she would stay there no matter what the weather was; dark and cloudy, windy and stormy, bright and sunny.

At time liked these, Minako would not budge from her constant post. She laid on her back with palms below her head, and gentle breath could be seen from constant movement of her chest.

She was silent and still.

It looked like she was deeply sleeping.

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**Moondance**

"_Hello, Hotaru"_

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_You can be my rainbow, and I'll be your part of gold._

_But all that really matters are the things that we'd do_

_-Me & Mrs. You (Michael Bubble, Sing Totally Blonde)_

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In a far corner of a room covered by four white wallpapers, a teenage girl with short hair to her shoulder sat stiff at the farthest wall. Her legs were bent neatly as a book sat on her lap, a thick old book with leather cover. She sat contently with a small smile on her face, reading the twelve century print of Genji Monogatari. Old phrases and idiom did not bother her in the slightest. In a slight look, she seemed like a kid with her favourite toy.

The window opened wide and sea wind flew by, entering the small room with a breeze. Her hair swayed to the side once in a while, and then she perked up, her eyes wide with recognition.

She stood, ignoring her stiff muscles from sitting so long and broke into a run. She passed several staircases and managed herself without tumbling through several painting and other assortment in the way. Door by door she passed without a single glance back, neither she bothered to close them. She kept running, running, and ran to the front porch where she skidded into halt.

Tomoe Hotaru placed her hands on her hips.

"You are late," she said with a glare.

"A hero is never late," The voice replied as stern, "He would come by his own pace, arrives in the exact time when he is needed." Blond hairs revealed through the dark helmet, still staring wistfully to the bluish clouds. "Besides, I will not miss little rabbit anniversary, will I?"

They stood by their place, each refused to retaliate. But the silence did not last long, as their stone expression shifted into amusement. Hotaru twitched into a grin which soon broke into wide smile, mirrored by the other half. She leaped.

"Minako! I miss you so much!" Hotaru hugged tight.

The helmet on Aiko Minako head tumbled over her back. It fell with a thud to the grassy ground. Minako laughed merrily.

"I love you too, my firefly." Minako pulled slowly. Her cheshire grinned never leave her face. She mused as her hand made it move to the dark haired girl, messing with her hair. It leaved a small mess resembled a bird nest. Hotaru pouted. "So, how's my favourite girl doing this lately?"

"Just small steps here and there," came the cryptic reply.

"Aww," Minako held her hand on her chest in pain, "My little girl had grown. Soon she will leave this old lady swimming in loneliness, where cat sat on her lap and she knitted in front of a fireplace."

"I cannot wait till the day has come."

Minako glared to her side "Rei! Your words hurt me deeply. And I thought we were friend!"

Hino Rei snorted with two helmet lace in her grip, putting them on the motorbike metal holder. "Were, _were_. Ha! A friend indeed my foot! I see that faith have not been kind to me through several lifetimes. I perhaps should retire and own myself a safe house in the middle of nowhere."

"Now now, this should be a glory day, should it not?" Kaioh Michiru appeared with all of her elegance in green sundress. Her tinkling laughter mirrored by mirth in her eyes. "I see that you two still act like simpleton. Although it does provide a great entertainment in this dull world," added Michiru with a smile.

"We do not!" The duo shrieked in horror. "Why should I?" They spoke, and turned to each other. "Stop mimicking me!" Minako and Rei could have shot laser through their eyes if possible.

Hotaru watched them like a ping pong match should.

"All right, that will be enough."

The two yipped as their ear each pulled to the side. They were dragged into The House by exasperated garnet hair. Meioh Setsuna was not happy, and that itself was an understatement.

"Itee!"

"What was that for?" Rei questioned as she they reached large mahogany double door, rubbing her sore and red ear in frustration. Setsuna simply gave her 'The Look', that was reserved for petulant children, that usually followed with cowering duo in her trail, and this time should not be different for the miko. This time, Rei huffed and crossed her hand in front of her chest and walked inside.

"Bad, bad, doggy." Minako's hair ruffled it turned into bird nest and Hotaru grinned widely, still patting the blond strands.


	2. Flats and Curves

**_xXAnimeFictionXx_**: Yep. And I love you all the same. _Grin_. More loves on Chapter Two!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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"Happy Birthday Usagi-chan, happy birthday to youuuuuuuuu~"

Candles were blown and smokes were visible on top of marble cake, courtesy of chef Kino Makoto. Smiling faces were shared and congratulations given to widely grinning pink haired girl in bright t-shirt and tight jeans. Tsukino Usagi wore the brightest smile anyone ever seen to her future daughter. Various emotions danced in her eyes, it was almost undecipherable to Chiba Mamoru who watched his family so fondly.

Meanwhile the girl in question was lifting large knife and ready to make her first cut on white and fluffy cake. Makoto cringed at her finger movement but she said nothing.

Apparently it was another who voiced the chef's thought. "Be careful, Chibiusa-chan. It would do no good if you cut your finger," Mizuno Ami said while pressing her finger in between her rimmed spectacles.

Chibiusa smiled cheekily. "I am flattered Ami-chan. Thank you for your insight," her sarcasm didn't go un-noticed by the blue haired med-student. Ami just smiled, mirrored by Chibiusa. It was a mere concern after all.

"Ichi..., ni,..." they chorused together, "..., SAN!" The cake was successfully cut in half. Flashes and clicking shutters were almost blinding to Chibiusa's sensitive eyes, but her grin did not dissipate in the slightest. She was too happy to care. Chibiusa cut few slices more, dividing it into pieces and putting them on small plastic plates. She lifted the first plate and looked to smiling faces, contemplating looks, and curious glance; each wondering who will the small princess gave the first plate to.

She took first step around the small table and walked toward her pre-parents, grinning. Mamoru and Usagi shared a look, as if they were talking with their eyes. Each held any word in the back of their throat, waiting.

"Mamo-tou-san, I think..." Chibiusa said. Others watched in interest and hushed whispers did not go un-noticed to her. "You...., _should_ feed each other." It was unexpected to the duo who shared a look, again.

"Me?" Mamoru and Usagi said and pointed to themselves, followed by their daughter's nod. Chibiusa simply gave away the cake left them to their own device. She hopped back to the round table, quite literally.

"Awwwwww, isn't that sweet of her." Michiru giggled.

In far corner of the lounge, Minako shed a proud tear. Rei handed her palm in the air, giving 'Now, pay up' gesture.

Teno Haruka leaned to her side, whispering. "You knew this would happen, wouldn't you?" Her eyes glanced occasionally to the birthday girl and the happy couple, feeding each other quite sickeningly happy.

Setsuna only smiled an enigmatic smile and Haruka grumbled inwardly.

Meanwhile one Aino Minako gave a smile while surrendering a pack of bills, her eyes never deterred from the happy scene. Her eyes though, spoke otherwise; and it did not escape Tomoe Hotaru's thoughtful look.

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**Moondance**

"_Flats and Curves"_

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"Are you sure you do not want to spend the night here, Small Lady?"

The night was young and warm summer breeze flew across outers ground veranda. Crickets were chirping once in awhile and fresh scent of honeysuckle mingled in harmony. The party was done and over with. Part of attendants had already gone, each went to their respective home or into another business of theirs. Michiru and Haruka occupied themselves with dishes, and priestess Hino swiped and cleaned the floor quite peacefully. Chibiusa gave a last glance to her dark-haired playmate who was putting leftover foods into the double door fridge before turning back to the time guardian.

"Yes, I am sure. I have early council meeting tomorrow, and I cannot afford to sleep late tonight," Chibiusa paused, shifting her head to the side, "which most likely happens if I stay here," she added with a wicked grin.

"I understand," Setsuna replied, petting Chibiusa affectionately.

"Though I trust that Minako-chan will be here for the remainder of the night?"

"I believe that is to be the final verdict," Setsuna said. Her gaze flew to the peacefully laying blond on the front lawn.

"Is that a bad thing?"

If Setsuna was surprised she did not show it. Instead, she merely gave a knowing look to the soon-to-be college girl. "No. No, it never was," Setsuna answered the perceptive eyes in front of her.

"So, I'll be off now," Chibiusa swiftly spoke, "I'll meet you tomorrow?"

"Yes." Setsuna inwardly relieved by the changing topic. "Be careful on your way back. Do you mind company during the journey?"

"Please~," Chibiusa breathed long and hard, wearing annoyed expression, "I'm a big girl, Puu. I know how to take care myself." She knew her guardian too well to understand that Setsuna was _trying_ to make her safe without hurting her pride. She returned Setsuna's smile. Chibiusa could not stay mad to her guardian for long though, a habit she found more exasperating than complimentary, mostly.

Setsuna nodded. She made a couple steps back and simply watched.

"Chronos, Lord of Time! I plead your permission to travel across the road of light!" Chibiusa chanted. Her hand shot up in the air, star wand pointedly high. Sparks of pink appeared and soft twister like light surrounded her body. Lights shot high to the clouds above. "RELEASE THE GATE!" She vanished in burst of pink sparks, like remnants of odd fireworks.

Setsuna stood, watching the last spark came in touch to the tip of wild grass below her feet. Somehow she could hear Chibiusa cheery laugh in the back of her mind, telling her 'I've told you so'.

_Another night, another day_, Setsuna mused as she walked back to the house.

**000**

"She was doing it again."

Truth to be told, Hotaru didn't need for it to be said. She knew it already, these little habits of one blonde haired mentor and friend of hers that currently longing at outers front lawn again.

"Ne, Hotaru-chan," Rei said as she rested her chin on top of the now standing broom stick, like a crutch, "Could you...," her sentences hung in the middle.

Hotaru watched as Minako stretched her back like a feline, her palm covering a yawn, as Rei said those six words that would haunt her dream several weeks later.

**000**

_How much difference one little decision can one makes? _

Minako gazed at the starry sky before midnight. The so-called beauty and love senshi laid on the grass, her back stretched and her hand crossed below her head. The normally bubbly blonde was now calm and silent. Any indication showed that she still alive and breathing was only a gradual movement of her chest. Up and down, inhaling and exhaling the night air.

_How little an action can one makes to change the world? _

She was going to kill Usagi. And her then whole inner senshi. And then Hotaru-

Okay, maybe not Hotaru. But she was definitely on her other list somewhere as she counted falling plates in her head as she was trying to sleep. Counting sheep didn't help, and she allergic to fur. As soon as she could get a hand to pry these whole messes she sunk so deep in...

She was whistling.

The inner senshi had been at theirs wits' end who should be the member of guardian senshi to fix the whole 'this world is going to end and we need to fix it', when the soon-to-be Neo Queen Serenity made her grand suggestion:

"What we need is someone who will be a leader, someone who will stubbornly push in discreet despite any lack of in-born genius, and never step aside and let the whole team to fall! Only then victory can be achieved and maybe, she could have fun with this so-called new life!"

_What is the purpose that one life exist in the earth?_

'Thick-headed' had been the magic word, so to speak. The _whole_ inner and outer senshi actually went through the entire list of every single 'soldier' available and filtered out the remarkably stubborn ones—i.e. the delinquents. Eventually the options narrowed down to Seyja Kou and Aino Minako. It _rhymed_. Minako knew she should have been more suspicious when she'd overhead Michiru talking to part at while they were baking cookies in November.

"I don't think Seyja should be a candidate for our plan," as Minako quoted word per word Michiru was saying.

"Michi-chan!" Haruka was tormented between sobbing and hugged Michiru to death. "You finally take my point of understanding!" The blonde used-to-be racer was obviously 'happy'.

"Seyja doesn't look stubborn or _gloomy_ enough to lead us." Michiru ignored Haruka and continued her monologue, "Besides, if 'she' was to be there, that leaves Kakyu and her two remaining guard. And as we all know...," she gave an exasperated look, enough for Hotaru to recognize her random distress, "I don't think several people would be happy if the official tight-knit group would be happy if Seyja is to be teamed up with us."

Minako chuckled darkly.

Yes, Michiru was definitely on the list of people facing imminent death.

Hotaru had appeared to be a little doubtful when she received the final proposal, but accepted the decision without any objections. Perhaps she thought Goddess-of-Love-and-Manipulation had a better chance at handling a bunch of soldiers without clue than any other power-capable person. Smart or genius, perfect spy or a perfect natural leader, and the fact that Minako was capable tricking the whole inner senshi at princess business a long time ago... But of course, even as a senshi of destruction -as Hotaru like to make her name on black on white with floral prints-, she had her doubts.

The get-together had started tamely enough. And it escalated into something unexpected when Haruka was caught sharing beers with Mamoru from a hidden fridge. In the end, it was set that Aino Minako would travel to the past, ten years previous to be exact, just eight months before Chibiusa eighteen birthdays.

Alas, it was not the same for her.

When Rei reached: "Virgin sacrifice to the _**Akuma**_!" She excused herself and left the _family_ lounge, thinking about spending her remaining days with some quality _Bloody Mary_. And perhaps, confessing her sins and seeking redemption in some unknown church.

Damn with the saying 'What goes around comes around...

"Minako?"

She blinked, not realizing that she had stood, and escaped from her memory lane and stared forward and saw no one. Then she looked _down_, and found Hotaru standing before her, hands behind her back, and looking at her with smiling eyes.

Minako raised her eyebrows.

Hotaru finally gave her _The Grin_.

...On the second thought, perhaps not.


	3. Intl 00 Mother and Daughter

Thank you to xXAnimeFictionXx for your kind comment.

This story does revolve around Minako (as the centre) and Hotaru later on. Is it a pairing? Yes. No. Perhaps. Perhaps not. This is a story about love, friendship, family, and growing up. Of course with a pint of humour and adventure. Hello guys that have read it until this far, I thank you. The update would be slow from now on (at least momentarily). I have to study for my management and marketing test for next week, and quite a bit of assignment too.

Have a pleasant reading.

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It was a dark and stormy night, when Ami found a pair of shoes she didn't know on her front mat, at her front terrace apartment. Ami frowned; remembering that she didn't give her key to anyone except one. And that person was nowhere near her hou-, _apartment_ whatsoever. She could feel Makoto's presence within two miles radius at least, and the person's presence that had just entered her house was nowhere near similar to Makoto.

Ami raised her eyebrows. She recognized something from the trinkets attached on the shoes. _Come again_, Ami folded her hand. The presence seemed…, familiar to her. Something she had encountered from long ago. Ami expanded her aura. To her living room, to her kitchen, it worked like a sensor heat. _Inside the study…_ She blinked and remained silent, unmoving. She gave a sigh after awhile.

_So that's why_…, Ami crouched, putting her elbow on top of her thigh and smiled a little. She took the shoes and lifted them up. She threw it unceremoniously near the shoe rack. Walking several steps to her counter top, she picked her coffee beans bag, effectively grinding one scoop in her new coffee maker. She stared a bit at the machine. It was new, new and free, given to her almost recently. She took two mugs. By the time she finished pouring the content inside the mugs, several steps were heard. It got closer and closer.

"You have gotten a nice place, Ami dear."

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**Moondance**

_an Interlude_

"_Mother and Daughter"_

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Ami turned and picked the mugs, offering one of them to Mizuno Yoko. "Hello to you too, Mum. You sure know how to make an entrance."

Yoko chuckled and accepted the offer graciously. She sniffed a quarter inch above the cup and then took a little sip, savoring the first taste. "Always perfect, just the way I like it. I see you have not forgotten my taste," Yoko said, lifting her mug in appreciation.

Meanwhile Ami took a sip from her own mug, silently examining her mother. It was like she always remembered; her mother looked young and elegant. There was this…, aura around her that made her looked like a confident… _Reliable,_ the voice came from inside her head. She nodded inwardly. Her mother wore something resembled a business suit, with her black coat and long matched trousers. It was like she always remembered, every time Ami looked at Mizuno Yoko, every time she looked on her back; strong, dependable person.

Yoko looked around, her eyes were everywhere. From Ami's counter top, moving to the painting given by Michiru, lamp collection she got from Setsuna, and to small notebook on her glass coffee table. Yoko stopped looking, her eyes transfixed at the electronic notebook. "It has been a long time," Yoko said, her eyes never leaving the device.

Her mother still was, a confident, perceptive person, even to her own daughter. It had not diminished by age, even until now. If there was one thing that Ami knew, it was that her mother was a proud, hard-headed woman. Mizuno Yoko bowed to no one.

"It has," Ami agreed. They had, yes. It was a long time until now.

"It has been, what, five years and a half?"

"Five years, five months, and twenty three days," Ami stood corrected, "Fourteen hours and counting," she added after looking at her wristwatch.

"Mmm…, that long?" Yoko raised her eyebrows. She turned and faced her daughter, closing the gap between them and lifted her free hand, caressing Ami's cheek. "It felt like just yesterday," Yoko said, smiling after awhile.

Ami didn't reciprocate; she merely stared at her youthful mother. "What made you come back?" Ami asked, eyes never leaving her mother's.

"Why?" Yoko questioned, smiling, "Is it a crime for a mother to visit her own daughter?"

To Ami, it was. Mizuno Yoko never makes a social visit during these past years. There were phone-calls, e-mails, but never a visit. Every single letter Ami got from Mizuno Yoko was well-kept, but they were basically the same. It was about her, her well-being, if she was alright, if she was eating well, if she didn't over-exerted herself. That was just it, nothing deeper, and nothing else. To Ami, they were just formalities. Ami wondered sometimes, if she was being an ungrateful child. She examined her mother's features.

Yoko huffed, and said, "Well…, you have always been an independent child." Yes, Ami knew that; an adult inside a child body. And Ami wondered sometimes, of her incapability to feel anything toward her blood mother.

"I guess it was partially my fault," Yoko continued.

_Partially? Which part? _

"I have never said the most important thing in all these years, have I not?" Yoko smiled sadly.

These talks didn't make sense to Ami. _What are you talking about?_ She wanted to say that, questioned that. The logical side of her brain just didn't get it. She had never been good with mother-daughter interaction of those sorts. She wasn't an emotional person to begin with. "You are speaking gibberish," Ami said instead. Her tone was flat; she didn't want to believe it was her who was talking like that at her _mother_.

"Am I?" Yoko questioned.

_Never mind then_.

Her mother breathed deeply, taking a few gulps of the growing cold beverage. It was like water to Yoko, that much Ami could assume. She herself took a sip of her cold coffee, grimacing at the taste and moved to the sink, intending to throw the content out.

"Would you like a new one?" Ami questioned while she was making her new portion.

There was rustling. "No, I am not going to stay long."

At that Ami blinked. "Eh?" She managed to mumble and turned to face her mother. Yoko was wearing a brown leather long coat. On her mother hand was an old black bag she would recognize anywhere. "Why won't you stay here?" Ami questioned.

Their old apartment had no longer existed; it burned down not long after Yoko's departure. It was questionable for Ami that if the occurrence itself was a fortune to her. She had moved out from their apartment to a smaller one -her current apartment- a year before her mother's departure. Her finger twitched around the mug's handle. This apartment was one that she bought with her own money. _Salary_. There were still several installments to be paid and then it would be hers _completely_.

Her mother could have easily bought several other buildings if she wanted to. Yes, Mizuno Yoko was that _adequate_. But no, Yoko just let it gone. Yoko got replacement money from insurance company, enough for her to reserve a slot for another apartment. Ami mentioned it several times in her letters, but Yoko kept refusing, saying that she would like to choose for _their_ new one later on. But…

"Where are you going to stay? Now is midnight," Ami found herself speaking, putting her mug on the counter-top, and looking at her wristwatch again. "Well…, almost."

"I am planning to stay at my old friend's house," Yoko replied, waving her hand in dismissal, her back facing Ami. Yoko looked around; her eyes darted to the shoe rack, several inches beside it. She picked her shoes and sat on the welcome mat.

"I am your daughter," Ami said before Yoko had the chance to wear it and walked out just like that. There was something twanged inside her. It was something foreign, but not unwelcomed.

Yoko sat there for the longest time, at least for Ami it was. _I was just..._

There was something in Yoko's eyes as she turned around, staring directly at Ami's. _I don't want to impose. _It was as if Ami could hear her mother's voice. And even if that was true…

But that was just stupid. The question liked: Why? What kind of statement was that?...and, What are you talking about (once again)? floated inside her.

"So you are, hmm?" Yoko said. She shifted her head to the side. It was spontaneous, it was sudden, and it was so unexpected. "Well then," Yoko grinned happily, kind of 'bird that ate canary' grin, "I guess I will stay!"

**000**

Ami blanched outwardly. _Did mom just…_ She didn't even know Mizuno Yoko was… Wait, wait, wait…, could it be a youma in disguise? _No_, Ami frowned. She would detect it in instant on the spot. Ami shook her head. The liquor she had at Chibiusa's party had affected her ability to think rationally tonight it seemed.

And there was a _loud_ thud.

_Now what?_

"Ami-dear?" Yoko poked her head near the door of her bathroom, which the most Ami could see was her mother's forehead.

Ami decided to sober herself first; she took a very concentrated espresso. Ah..., she almost forgot that one _thing_.

"The soap just…, fell off. It went straight to the toilet pipe line and I can't get it out."

Ami breathed deeply out of habit in stressful situation. Yes, besides hospital and workplace, Mizuno Yoko was an exceptional accident prone.

"Should I use acid to smooth the flow?" Yoko's voice broke Ami's reverie.

_Night one, _Ami drummed her fingers against the smooth surface of her counter-top. Her eyebrows twitched once in awhile.


	4. Comfort in Strange Places

Minako woke with wild thuds inside her chest. Her heart was beating so fast, her lungs searched for freedom, air, fresh air! She brought her palm to her face, repressing choke sensation in her throat that would come seconds later.

Her back drenched with perspiration, and her shoulder hunched, shaking. She held back a sob that came out from her traitorous lips. She curled, her eyes shut, trying to hold back tears, trying and failing miserably.

Minako blinked.

_I can't be here._

She risked a glance to the other side of the room where a figure was laid on the only bed in that room, deep in slumber. Minako shook. Her body was at it again, pulsing surge of excess energy threatening to explode.

_Calm._

She took a deep, silent breath, and _shifted_ out by air particle.

Hotaru stared blankly at the soft white ceiling. She was awoke the whole time, faking gentle rhytm on her chest and soft breathing; turning over after her companion dissapeared for the umpteenth time at the oddest time in the night. She sat at the edge of the bed; staring at the far corner long couch and its non-existent occupant.

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**Moondance**

"**Comfort in Strange Places"**

_People often make decisions under conditions of risk according to the prediction of Prospect theory, rather than to maximize their expected uitility. (excerpt)_

_-Maryann E. Gallagher_

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The clock on the cream coloured wall showed one past twelve. Setsuna watched while she sat on the loveseat. It was a quiet night, where the only sound that could be heard was from the grandfather clock in the corner. They were antiques she collected during long and boring years. Setsuna, how could she say it, collected a lot of things across the century. Of course being born, die, and had passed the whole reincarnation thing with memory intact made a person's days grew long. Setsuna had collected quite several things from across the globe in the meantime. The long and excruiating days she remembered with every life cycle she memorized by heart. It also created a somewhat…, unique experience for her, an ability to remember a lot of things without forgetting any; a photograpic memory.

Stored in many sites and place in the earth, her collection was well protected from age and perish. One old charm she kept using to preserve every single artifact.

"_Ossolo tempus_," Setsuna whispered in her study. The end of her finger pointed to a wooden sand clock on a round table. It slowly faded and sway, rotten and collapsed into a pile of black soot, dust. Setsuna sighed, massaging her throbbing temple.

The room was large, in a oval shape, with cream coloured wall. Rack and cases surrounded the walls, stood high from the bottom floor to the top of the ceiling. The wall completely covered with these racks, filled with books, books, and more books. Leather bounds and scrolls painted almost half of the display, while the rest of the content seemed modern enough. They were old, most of them. Only one side of the wall that was visible, and it was because of the tall clock, the almost fading cream brick wall.

The ceiling was not flat, it curved up with half like globe shape. Made of glass and transparent, Setsuna could see the black sky above. The sky was dark, too dark perhaps. A night without clouds and stars. Yet in that dimly lit room, a light came from above, where the moon shone graciously, making it's presence known to man.

_Always the meddler_, Setsuna mused as her fingers drummed back and forth on the loveseat's arm.

She sat a little longer, her eyes fixated on the clear screen ceiling, far beyond into the dark abbys. Setsuna concentrated, closing her eyes. Her expression thoughtful as she searched far and deep, inhaling and sighing. It was mere seconds later her eyes opened with scrutinized eyebrows.

It was that vibration again. Something or perhaps someone was interfering her scrying, and she couldn't do a damn about it.

**000**

This place used to be beautiful. The lake was filled with the most pure cleansing water. Bed of crystallized flowers laid soft across the ground. From there seen were planets and bands of milkyway, the ring of Orion and asteroids of Jupiter. The atmosphere had been working like a magnifying glass. There used to be a castle, white and high. There used to be a kingdom, standing proud and tall.

It used to be there several lifetimes ago, several milleniums ago.

She smiled at her own nostalgia before grimacing and fell on her knees.

Minako didn't think she could hold it any longer. The reaction came sooner than she had expected. Her body glowed and dimmed, from bright light to transparent. She gritted her teeth. The light faded into a soft glow. She breathed.

_In and out,_she kept telling herself, _steady._ The pain was unberable. It almost made her insane. She shakily stood on her feet, one hand dangled on her side, the other holding her stomach. MInako smiled grimly and brought her hand forward. The glow came back full force. She almost fell for the second time if not for her full self-control. She concentrated, holding all her sensory overload. The glow shifted to golden spikes. It left her body like uneven angle of rain, scattered everywhere. The pain lessened after seconds which felt like minutes for her.

It was enough for now. Minako heaved for the umpteenth time and breathed in relief.

"You came."

She smiled wryly to the voice.

"And I was having a nice dream too awhile ago."

She glanced to the boulder ahead of her. "A ghost does not dream, My Queen," said Minako and she bowed courteously. Her tired state reflected with lines below her eyes, a sign of lacking sleep for a long time. It's a wonder she had not collapsed or fell into coma for a human measure. Whether luck or curse, she managed it without wobbling in front of her late master.

The small projectory of late Queen Serenity smiled a small smile. She put her leg on top of another and grinned; her head shifted to the side. "Stand, child. I'm no longer who you deemed for decades."

"You are, My Queen, always be and forever."

"Nonsense." Queen Serenity shook her head. "The one you should offer your loyalty to is not in this abandoned ruins."

_How touching_, Minako quirked. "That might be true, but we should not forget where we were brought from. I presume it was not all pleasant to live a condemned life. Aprodhite be damned if I forget the barn where I was born and raised."

"Always one who does not turn down an argument, are you not?"

"I take that as a compliment, My Queen."

Queen Serenity smiled ruefully. Venus hadn't lost her touch even after several millenia. "How are you, Minako-chan?"

She blinked.

"I take that is your given name in this life time?"

_And with suffix too?_

"Indeed, My Queen." Minako hesitated. "My best is all that I could give at this life cycle." _As always it has to be_. Given the only choice she had, Minako didn't think she could do otherwise. Her fatigue apparent in her creased eyebrows. She paused, taking in the other's features.

Her master had not changed. The serene smile on Queen Serenity face would be always there no matter the circumstances were. It was almost funny to watch if not for the salutation of the motherly figure known as her master. Her master's placid temperament had not cracked by history; not even a shift in time and space continuum could change that. No matter what the circumstance was, Queen Serenity could always read her like a book. It was as if Queen Serenity owned 'Aino Minako Troubleshooting Manual' or something.

"Take a break, Minako-chan." It was as if the specter could read her mind. It was ironic. Here she was, talking to remnant of her past who had been in her shoes. The only difference was she survived while her master had died giving away her life in the process.

She tried, Aphrodite might have foreseen this event as much as she predicted. But how apprehension came hard to her nowadays, she was not able to discern which was dream and which was reality anymore. It was maddening. Minako wondered if Setsuna experienced the same thing too given her title. The time guardian must have known what might come from these backlashes.

_I try. I try. _

'I woke up when I was dreaming, and I was dreaming when I awoke'. How ironic and how right Spike Siegel were in expressing her state of affairs. Minako shook her head. She might have become senile from all these wild assumptions. Yes. Even a leader like Queen Serenity had her share of lunacy between her duties and responsibilities.

And there were times when her master's antiques were enough to grow her hair bald…, Minako smiled oddly, feeling rather nostalgic at the memory.

Queen Serenity gave a satisfied nod as she recognized the changing expression.

"I trust you will find the right way back home?"

She thought so. The answer required a hefty amount of consideration. Which was home? It held loads of definition to her. She might have just stayed here until the sun rise in the east, or west, depended on where one view the ambiguity. She only had one answer.

"Will we see each other again?" Minako asked.

Queen Serenity's reply was something simliar with Setsuna's line, "In time, Venus."

_Heh._

Minako wasn't placated, but she inclined her head in acknowledgement and returned with a soft swish. It was fair enough for now. In time she confided, a time that was a gift given to her, an entity she didn't have much.

**000**

"_It's a quiet night."_

_Bracing the ancient artifact, Minako stepped into the circle._

"_Nothing will faze you anymore, eh?"_

_A slight smile as Minako dissapeared within the rain of golden light._

_Hotaru whispered something, her eyes closed. She breathed deeply and walked out from the sealed area. And when her eyes opened, her glaive swung._

_**No…. It can't be….**__, Minako watched, horrified through the remaining images soul specter gave her. __**You wouldn't…**_

"_Death…Ribbon…" Once, vertically, diagonally…_

_A spark came from Tsukino Usagi's eyes who nodded, encouraging._

_**No…., no no no no no!**_

_The glaive spun wildly. "REVOLUTION!"_

"_**YOU PROMISED! YOU ALL PROMISED, DAMNITTTT!!!!!!!!!!"**_

_The universe spun and danced the waltz of destruction with Tomoe Hotaru as its executor. _

_And then silence._


	5. 05 Coup De Grace

Minako let herself lost in marvellous swaying of The Invocation to Veles and Ala as she walked on the sandy road. The tall and splendid lighthouse came into view as she grew nearer with each step. She slowed down purposely; taking her time, arranging herself physically and mentally. Flute and violin notes synchronized with harps sequence, fetching her away into the another dimension where castle dangled in the air. So effortless was her judgment two hours ago.

Compared with now… She stopped metres away from the front door, turning off her iPod which had been unintentionally concealed in her jacket since morning. She gazed at the looming oval shape. _Why_, _my fair lady_, her inner self chirped; all of her resolution fell through the window; _ain't it superb_.

"Here you are."

_If looks could kill…_

And here she was. Minako did not have to look to the source that made her heart beated unmercifully from inside her chest; it was there, standing behind her back, looking at her pensively.

"Firefly," she breathed, ignoring the upsetting stare from the other as she spun around facing her assailant, "fancy meeting you here."

Hotaru nodded slowly. "What have you been doing in this ungodly hour, Minako?" Her face devoid from any emotion.

Minako smiled pleasantly. "Sleepwalking."

_Hence explained the amazing inspirational reasoning_.

One of Hotaru's eyebrows rose, gradually followed with the other. It was a grand feat, Minako decided, she couldn't do that.

"Sleepwalking?" Hotaru echoed.

"Firefly…," Minako repeated smiling, sensing that Hotaru might need a reminder, "…it's another state of resting… which probably at one point was an inactive instinct of survival, which chip in any delusion come in the day after the night. So to scale neurotic erosion brain suffered from the lack of resting, Mother Nature came into contact with human brainpower and made a compromise. See, hands mutual aid, legs mutual aid, eyes mutual aid, fingers mutual aid," she moved her fingers and made a walking motion. "It's an elaborate pattern of dance which requiring elegant bumping into things. A shame not everybody doing it though." Minako shook her head morosely.

_I will have to check my mentality of retardness after this_.

Hotaru stared, her expression turned out to be more indecipherable than before.

"Good early morning," Minako ended her elaborated tattletale and sauntered inside.

**000000000000000**

**00000000000000000000000000000000000**

**Moondance**

"**Coup De Grace"**

"_Keep swimming to the shore when you think you can do it. _

_If you think you can't do it anymore, then all you have to do is drown."_

_-Self evaluation of life_

**00000000000000000000000000000000000**

**000000000000000**

She found herself standing in front of Meio University that late afternoon. Minako frowned as she fixed her loose grip on her backpack nylon handle. She walked in, passing the front gate without much noticing from anybody. It was much late in the afternoon that most school activities had already finished, saved for some other non academic related activities.

_Drama club for example_. Minako stared the piece of paper on her hand for the umpteenth time. Hotaru's scribble and make shift map clearly showed her that this was the right place for Minako to be. She turned the paper around, and it showed another map of direction to Hotaru's class, or a direction to the room where Hotaru's extracurricular was held.

Her firefly was an exceptionally smart for her age. Hotaru could even challenge Ami intellectually in the matter of medical science. That itself was extraordinary for a sixteen years old.

_Genius_. Minako gave a fleeting look to the painting across the hallway.

Education became increasingly difficult these days. More and more college material crammed into adolescent mind. Then again, it was how the world worked every day, a global change. Minako couldn't really compare her own studies to Hotaru. College and University material she sought five years ago might even be introduced to high school student in their first year now.

Tokyo was surely an interesting place, if it didn't bring kids into early mid-life crisis at their twenties...

_But_…, Minako looked up; the hanging wooden board clearly had 'Auditorium' written above her head…, at least Hotaru seemed to enjoy her teenage days. The door opened before she had the chance to knock. She was greeted with the sight of multiple stacks of books and papers at the very top. It was so _high_. She could have sworn it almost reached the ceiling.

Her surprise didn't last long when she lost her balance and swayed backwards. She quickly regained her footing, thanking her reflex and looked at her assailant, or, the person who bumped into her. Minako looked down.

There were books and papers in her vicinity, scattered everywhere around them. It was obvious that whoever that bumped into her was carrying these heavy things like logs and-

"Gomen." Minako blinked, her thoughts were broken as velvet like voice greeted her. It was a 'he,' Minako observed as she too began to collect the scattered things. "I didn't look where I was walking.

"It's okay," Minako said, "I also didn't look to where I was walking. I was surprised actually, Kaga-san."

"Eh?" The person halted and looked up to meet her eyes.

"The name tag on your uniform," Minako said, smiling as she pointed small white plastic embossed on the boy's black shirt.

"Ahh…." The boy nodded in understanding, then continued collecting another strewn paper beside him.

"Okay," Minako said as she fixed her grip, several books and papers of what she could save from the fall on her hand, "Where do you need these things to be carried?"

The boy blinked and soon shook his head animatedly. "Ah, it's okay. I can take it from here."

"It was better if we carry it together," Minako explained, noting the wiry form of Kaga. These books were _heavy_, enough to break the bone in his slim hand.

"I cannot let a lady to do a man's job," Kaga retaliated.

Minako snorted. "Nonsense." C_hivalry is dead these days anyway_. "Lead me the way then, Kaga-san." She began walking before Kaga could say another word.

Kaga followed her with a dejected sigh. They walked side by side and began to talk to each other. At least, Kaga tried to make a conversation with the lady beside him.

"So, I don't think I've seen you around the campus before," Kaga said with a hint of curiosity, "Are you new or something?"

"Me?" Minako raised her eyebrows, then shrugged. "I'm just visiting an acquittance."

"Your friend?" Kaga continued.

Friend? Minako contemplated several things at once. Sure thing, aside from the age difference that was. Nevertheless she said, "Curious, are you?" Her head tilted to the side, eyes squinted like hawk which had found its prey.

"Ah, no no. Of course not," Kaga stammered, his flustered face only betrayed his tongue.

Minako merely chuckled, waving her non-loaded fingers nonchalantly. "It's okay, it's okay." And then laughed, but seriously, the boy looked like he was about to be eaten by a monster. Surely she wasn't that scary..., was she? "Kaga..., eh? Is that your first name?" Minako asked after awhile.

"Uh-huh," mumbled the boy while fixing the slipping stack on his hand, "It was kachou idea actually, that we are to use this name badge."

"Kachou?"

"Kachou," Kaga confirmed as he nodded, he stopped suddenly. "Ah, we're here."

Indeed they were. They arrived in front some sort of old looking door. The wood was definitely old and had black a zebra-like pattern on it. There was no board or any sort of identification tools, as Minako observed. It was rather plain actually. _Cannot expect much for an ordinary club_, Minako noted.

"WHAT... WITH,... ARE... _**SUSPENDED**_?' " The voice came from the inside of the room, accompanied with banging sound. It was like someone was hitting something rather hard.

"Maybe now is a bad time to come here." Kaga frowned. He was too late. The lady whose name he hadn't ask had put her hand already on the handle.

"DON'T GIVE ME THAT SHIT!" The voice was obviously clearer as the door opened, accompanied by flying object. It hurled across the room, and landed unceremoniously on Minako's face.

"Oopss!" She lost her balance, get thrown perfectly backwards, and successfully landed on her rear. Kaga winced from his spot, unable to help the lady himself.

_That was graceful_, Minako cursed inwardly. She rubbed her sore back from the harsh landing and looked up, searching for her true assailant this time. Her eyesight was blurred. Had the fall disrupted her spinal cord?

"Kachou?" Kaga spoke. He looked at the same direction as she was. Minako shook her head, trying to clear her vision. "This is..." Kaga gestured, but Minako didn't really care at Kaga right here and now.

The word slipped from her tongue as soon as she was saved from severe symptoms of blindness.

"Firefly?"


End file.
